Are Conflict Management Styles of Gen Y Related to their Socio-Demographic Characteristics?

Abstract

A conflict is a disagreement between two or more parties (people/group).Within organizations, conflicts are inevitable. The growth in organizational interdependence, shift to collaborative team-based structures, increased diversity, and environmental uncertainty are all factors that can lead to higher degrees of organizational conflict (Callanan & Perri, 2006). Managers today are challenged to minimize the friction caused by multigenerational workforce and maximize the assets of distinct sets of work values and styles simultaneously. (Deyoe, R. H., & Fox, T. L. (2012). In response to growing demands for workplace harmony and productivity, effective conflict management is becoming paramount (Chan et al., 2006, 289). This paper takes a look at the conflict management styles of the next generation, Generation Y, who are in midst of their education and ready to enter the workforce. It focuses on their preferred conflict management style and also explores relationship between their socio-demographic characteristics and preferred conflict management style. Thomas kilman’s questionnaire was used to measure the conflict management styles of the students. A better understanding of the dominant conflict management style amongst Gen Y and the contribution of individual differences to conflict management has implications for managing employees effectively, especially for their recruitment and selection, training and development, as well as motivating and rewarding (Meier, J, & Crocker, M. (2010). The findings, implications, directions for further research and the limitations are discussed in the paper.